Shocking revelations about the 89-year-old who opened fire at the Social Security Service and Court of First Instance continue to emerge, shedding light on the elderly man’s motives and plans. The attacks allegedly occurred because 440 insurance stamps were missing from his pension records. Additionally, as has become known in recent hours, he appears to have been planning an attack in Strasbourg. The elderly man, in notes he left at one of the locations he attacked, wrote that he had worked beyond Greece, in the USA and Germany. However, it appears that not all of his insurance stamps were being recognized, according to Mega. Thus, demanding the stamps he wanted for his pension, he allegedly planned to attack Strasbourg.
It should be noted that the elderly man was arrested in Patras following a police raid on a hotel, while he allegedly planned to flee abroad. A neighbor of the elderly man, speaking to Mega’s Live News, mentioned that in conversations she had with him, the 89-year-old said he wanted to take revenge on the state, believing they hadn’t given him the money he was owed. Eyewitnesses describe the moments of panic that prevailed on the ground floor of the Athens Court of First Instance on Loukarous Street (former Peace Court), where four women were injured by gunfire from the 89-year-old.
89-year-old’s shooting at Social Security and courthouse: witness accounts and building security concerns
Sotiris Tripolitsiosis, general secretary of the Athens Court Employees Association and vice-president of the Hellenic Court Employees Federation, was in the building at the time of the incident. As he describes, he heard the gunshots and shortly after saw his injured colleagues and blood on the floor.
“We all became worried, we came out into the corridor and heard that there was a gunman. There was panic, everyone was running to hide. When some time passed, we learned that the weapon, which was a short-barreled rifle, was abandoned somewhere and he left towards the exit. We entered the office and saw that four of our colleagues had been injured. Mainly in the legs, because he shot towards the floor and they were wounded by fragments. One was injured a bit more seriously in her leg. There was blood, there was great commotion, panic. They were trembling from anxiety and panic,” he said characteristically.
He also placed particular emphasis on the security issue of the building on Loukarous Street, noting that it is the only Athens Court of First Instance building without adequate security. As he noted, unlike other judicial facilities, there are no entrance controls with X-ray machines.
He announced immediate action from the Court Employees Association, with an emergency meeting within the day, emphasizing the need to find a solution to the security issue.
Referring to the incident, he added that a colleague of his attempted to chase the perpetrator when he left the weapon, however he stopped when he saw him taking something out of his pocket. It was the moment when the 89-year-old took out the folders and said: “Here are the reasons why what happened happened.”
For his part, Giannis Abarkiotis, advisor to the Athens Bar Association, who was at the entrance of the building, placed blame on the Ministry of Justice. As he mentioned, the administrative council of the Athens Bar Association has already been informed and is expected to meet in the coming days, with the aim of requesting immediate security measures for this particular building, as well as overall for judicial services.
